Bow Before The Queen
Title: Bow Before the Queen
Summary: Prince Iemitsu tries to win Queen Nana’s hand in marriage. It doesn’t end well.
They say the Kingdom of Namimori is a small but plentiful kingdom. Its land is rich, no mouth truly goes starving. The weather is beautiful, the turning of each season breathtaking in its own way. Towering mountains defend the kingdom, but no matter their lofty heights, hungry eyes still turn towards Namimori.
They say the Kingdom of Namimori is weak. Their small borders means their army is naturally small. There was no king to lead them, only a weak queen who had been ruling since her father had passed. She refused to marry, despite having a child that no one can account for. Countless suitors and potential grooms have championed for her hand and she has turned them all away. So in turn, they mock her and call her weak.
They say the Kingdom of Namimori, despite all these things, is well protected. No one knows why exactly. There are stories of a magical barrier that the Queen can only maintain as long as she remains unmarried. There are rumors of a deadly weapon. Even a story of a dragon! Wives tales that no one can confirm as true or not. But still the curious come. still seeking the Queen’s hand, still marching with their armies to conquer.
Yet none have been able to claim Namimori as their own.
Iemitsu’s breath was taken away. When his father had sent him, no one had mention how beautiful Queen Nana of Namimori is. Suddenly this dull and boring trip to attempt to court her was no longer a painful thing. He can picture himself marrying this woman.
“Queen Nana,” Iemitsu says with a bow. “You are far more beautiful in person.”
Nana merely gives him an amuse look. “I would like to thank you for the beautiful gift the Kingdom of CEDEF has sent. There is something legendary about the liquor your kingdom produces.”
Iemitsu puffs out his chest. “Yes! We make the greatest wine around.”
They adjourn to a large sitting room, a bottle of the wine Iemitsu had provided sat on the table with two wine glasses. Ever the gentleman, Iemitsu held out the chair for Nana for her to sit. Nana smiles, taking her seat. A servant sweeps into the room, opening the bottle of wine, tasting it briefly for poison before pouring it out into the two wine glasses. They vanished after that, leaving the two of them alone.
Iemitsu glance around the room, appreciating the sheer size of it. It is almost as large as the throne room, leaving plenty of space. It is an odd feature. A boast? To show of their wealth and presence? What a cute idea.
“Where is your son, Prince Tsunayoshi?” Iemitsu asks. Like with everything in Namimori, Prince Tsunayoshi is shroud in a mist of mystery. He had only been presented a few times (and no one had even known that Queen Nana had been pregnant) but kept safely guarded nevertheless.
“He is with his tutor,” Nana answers. She tilts her head ever so slightly and Iemitsu feels a chill go down his spine. “Why don’t we get down to business? Why did you come to Namimori, Prince Iemitsu?”
He hears the steel in her words and wonders were the stories that Queen Nana is a weak woman come from. It makes his heart race though. He always like a fire in his women.
“CEDEF and Namimori are border neighbors,” Iemitsu says. “But my kingdom is over ten times the size of Namimori with the power to back it up. Surely we can unite our kingdoms together.”
“By unite, you wish for my hand in marriage,” Nana says.
“It would be an honor,” Iemitsu says. Truly. He has no complains.
“And this is has nothing to do with the fanime that CEDEF has been facing the last three years,” Nana says. She swirls the wine in her glass, raising it high enough for the sunlight to glint off it.
Iemitsu felt his stomach drops. Well, it is not surprising that she knew about that. The only reason why he could bring wine was because of the aging process. “I-it slightly does. We could use Namimori’s assistance with food supplies. But it isn’t as if you don’t benefit from tying our kingdoms together. After all, Namimori is often targeted by invading armies. CEDEF ”
A soft smile stretch across Nana’s face, much like a parent indulging a child in a fantasy. “I will not marry you, Prince Iemitsu. Namimori has no need for CEDEF’s assistance at this time.”
Iemitsu scowled. “Your mountains will fail you one day. And spreading silly false stories will not help you.”
“Stories?” Nana asks, tone curious.
“Like dragons protecting your kingdom,” Iemitsu says with a scoff. What a child’s tale. You would have to be an idiot to believe something like dragons.
Nana clapped her hands together, beaming brightly. “That isn’t a story.”
Iemitsu felt a presence loom behind him, a gust of hot air hitting him. Twirling around, he came face to face with a large pitch black dragon staring down at him. Its teeth were as large as Iemitsu, pearly white and razor sharp. It opened its mouth, preparing to swallow Iemitsu in a single gulp.
“Oh dear,” Nana says, cupping her cheek. “He fainted.”
The dragon flexed its wings, before its form strank, twisting and transforming into a tall male human. He threads a hand through his jet black spiky hair. “Chaos.”
“Reborn!” Nana says cheerfully. “How is Tsuna?”
Reborn kicked the unconscious Iemitsu. “Napping. He tired himself with shapeshifting practice,” he says, stepping over Iemitsu. He lift Nana’s hand to place a kiss to it. “When will these useless suitors learn that you’re mines?”
Nana laughs. “It doesn’t help that we normally just dump them beyond our borders while they’re still unconscious and steal all their clothes and belongings. Most of them pass it off as fevered dream.”
“I could just eat them,” Reborn suggests.
“Hmm, you probably wouldn’t like the taste of them,” Nana replies.
Reborn sighs. “Then I suppose I should just take out the trash. Until I return, my queen,” he says, flourishing his words with a slight bow.
Nana press a kiss to his cheek. “Swift travels, my dragon.”
